A New Beginning
by ariasalvatore
Summary: AU: Damon Salvatore meets a beautiful girl who reminds him ever so much of someone he once knew, he wants to be with her more than anything but there is so many things in his way, including his little brother Stefan and the misfortune of a sire bond.
1. Chapter 1

_NOTE: This is the first chapter in what I hope to be quite an interesting story, I got the idea off a prompt but changed it a little to suit my liking. I really do hope you enjoy it as I put a lot of effort into it, sorry for the poor writing. This is completely AU, the only similarities I guess are the characters and their backgrounds, also reviews would be appreciated for advice. Also, and italics from now on are diary entries. I know it's not very long at all but it's an introductory chapter, tell me what you think and if I should continue or not._

Mystic Falls was a small town where nothing exciting ever happened. The only thing here that held any weight was the sudden disappearance of a couple of campers in the woods. They were missing for three days before some hikers found their bodies on a mountain side, mauled to death by an animal. Or so they thought.

It was Elena Gilbert's first day of junior year. Her parents had been dead for four months now and it still hurt. It still hurt a lot. She had kept a diary ever since that day. She always wanted to do but she never had time before because she was always busy. She was cheerleading, or with her friends, her boyfriend or her parents. Her parents that she would never see again. She was keeping her journal to express her feelings somehow. She had to be strong for Jeremy and for Jenna. Jenna was coping with taking care of them, but Elena knew full well that she had no idea how to raise two teenagers, especially two teenagers coping with the death of their parents. So she kept the diary, just for herself. _Today it hurts more than usual, I think it's because I'm going back to school today and normally I'd have my mom waving me off at the door wishing me luck and my Dad in the kitchen rushing to get ready for work whilst still trying to be the supportive parent. I tell people i'm fine but really I want to fall apart, nobody understands. I need somebody who understands. _Elena checked the time on her phone and realised she was going to be late for her first day back if she didn't leave now, the teachers weren't going to give her a free pass, they didn't know that the grief will probably last forever. When she got downstairs Jenna was nowhere to be seen, Elena assumed she was still in bed, and that Jeremy had already left for school, or she hoped he had. Elena left the house to see her best friend Bonnie waiting outside by her car. Elena smiled; Bonnie was the one person she felt she could confide in with stuff like this, with anything really. Caroline was great, but she was just too... Caroline. The car journey to school was pretty uneventful, so was most of the day if Elena was honest with herself. When people asked her how she was doing she politely replied that she was fine. She wasn't. "Want a lift home?" Elena came out of her day dream when she realised that Bonnie was talking to her. "Thanks but no thanks; I think i'm just going to walk."

Elena came to the cemetery where she could visit her parents, where she wouldn't be interrupted. Today however, was different. When she got to her parents graves there was a figure standing a few metres away. She wasn't used to seeing anyone here so she was immediately quizzical but didn't want to ask because she knew that she didn't want to be intruded on when here so she just left him alone, and went to sit in her usual spot. Soon after, the figure came towards her, she saw a shadow go over her, and she looked up. "Hi, I'm sorry but you dropped your scarf." Elena saw the red material in his hand, she could've sworn she wasn't wearing that this morning, but it was most definitely hers. "Sorry, I didn't notice." She smiled at him, and he smiled back. He was a very handsome man; he had the most beautiful blue eyes. She felt as if she was almost in a trance, but that couldn't be right. He offered out his hand to help her up, she took it. "I'm Damon." "Elena." He smirked at her, showing a charming grin. "Well, Elena. It was a pleasure to meet you and I am awfully sorry to do this to you, but can you just stay still a moment please, and do not scream." Elena suddenly realised she was rooted to her feet, she started to panic. Suddenly, she felt something sharp in the side of her neck, and then she realised what was happening, and that there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

Damon didn't know what he was doing. Well he did, it was what he usually did with most of the people he had met in his very long life time. But this was different, this girl should be different. She was a spitting image of Katherine, he couldn't hurt her. He just couldn't. But he already was, he had his teeth in her neck and was drinking her blood. He was hurting her. When he realised this immediately stopped. Elena just looked at him, this girl that looked so much like the women he once loved who had betrayed him, she couldn't scream or run; but she was very pale, like she was ready to pass out. Damon decided the only thing to do was to heal her with his own blood. He couldn't let her go home like this, but he could not kill her, he knew he couldn't. Damon looked down at this girl in his arms, looked into her eyes and saw something that he never saw in Katherine; kindness. He didn't expect it, not only because he assumed she would be like Katherine in every way, but because he had just almost killed her and she was looking at him with kindness in her eyes, like he hadn't done anything wrong in the slightest. He bit into his own wrist and pressed it to her lips, "Here, drink, you'll feel better." Damon tried to comfort her, but he wasn't sure it was working. But she was drinking it, so she would be ok. When she looked healthy he stood her up straight and looked her in the eye and told her she had to forget everything that just happened. But he couldn't make himself make her forget him. He told her to forget everything that just happened, she just met a nice guy in the cemetery who had just moved into town and wanted showing around.

Elena opened her eyes and realised that she was standing in the cemetery. Then she asked herself why this was such a surprise, she had been here practically every day since her parents had died. Then she remembered, she remembered him. Him with the pretty eyes and the quirky smile; Damon. She smiled to herself as she left through the cast iron gate, thinking of the possibilities the day had brought. An average turned into what could possibly a new start. A new Elena. She didn't know that everything was about to change for a very long time. She was walking home; she even waved at Caroline as she walked past the grill. She was in a surprisingly good mood. As she crossed the road a car came flying out of nowhere, she didn't see who was driving it before she could no longer feel anything. Caroline came running out of the grill, followed closely by Elena's old friends Tyler and Matt, and someone neither of them had ever seen before. But the new guy was the first to get to Elena's body lying in the middle of the road. He checked her pulse and realised that she wasn't alive. He had been home and someone had already died, maybe this wasn't such a good idea, Stefan thought to himself. He then noticed the appearance of the girl in front of him, she was Katherine. She was Katherine with kinder eyes and most likely a bigger heart, why did she have to die. Suddenly, this girl who two minutes before had been dying most definitely dead in front of him; woke up. Stefan was startled and didn't know how this could've happened unless.. "Damon." Stefan must've heard wrong, she didn't just say what he thought she had said. "Damon, where's Damon?" this girl stuttered again. What had his big brother gotten himself into.


	2. Chapter 2

Damon came home to the Salvatore House to find Elena, the girl whom he had bitten, healed and compelled, lying on the couch. He immediately thought of Stefan and the effect this Katherine look alike would have on him, then realised he must've been the one to bring her here in the first place. Girls don't just appear on your couch as if by magic. She looked to be asleep, so Damon went straight past her up to her brother's bedroom to complain. He had made her forget him for a reason. "Stefan, what the hell did you do? She should not be here!" "Well she is, Damon. And it's not exactly my fault?" Damon saw the look Stefan was giving him and then knew he was being blamed for this mess. "Me?! How is this my fault, Stefan? Yes I may have bitten her, but I compelled her to forget, there was no way she would know without you going to tell her!" "I didn't tell anyone anything, I was sitting in the grill and all of a sudden a girl was hit by a car right outside. I went to see if she was alright. She was dead Damon, and then she wasn't." "What?" "Damon, she's in transition, and do you know what the very first thing she said when she woke up was?" "No of course I don't Stefan I wasn't there." "Your name, she said your name." Damon thought about this, and was honestly confused. He could've sworn he had compelled her to forget him, or maybe he kept a piece of him in her mind because he didn't want her to forget. Either way, she knew of him and she was currently becoming one of them because Damon hadn't done it right.

Elena woke up and immediately panicked. She had absolutely no idea where she was except that it looked sort of creepy. Like a big old house you see in fairytales. She went to get up and leave then realised she couldn't. She could get up and she knew it, but there was a voice in the back of her head telling her to stay here because she would be safe. Safe from whatever it was she was feeling inside. She felt like she was going to explode, she felt so weak but at the same time she felt so much stronger than she had a few hours ago. She realised how hungry she was and decided it was time to look around this house. She really hoped that she would meet the person who lives here and it wouldn't be some creep she didn't even want to know. She left the room she supposed was some sort of lounge and came to a large staircase. Before she had taken the first few steps up the stairs, two people came down. It was him. He was right in front of her, she didn't know where she knew him from or why she had this overwhelming urge to run up to him and never let go; but she did. He was looking at her, so was the other man that he was with, he was younger. He was extremely handsome and Elena knew it, but she didn't seem to care about anyone other than Damon at this second. Elena realised she should probably explain why she was in their house, or ask why she was in their house. "Erm, I'm sorry. I just woke up here and I don't know how I got here." Damon smirked "I do." Elena grinned. The other one rolled his eyes. "I'm Stefan; you seem to have already met my brother Damon." So they were brothers; that explained it. She wasn't sure what it explained, but her mind was playing tricks on her so she left it. "Will you excuse us a moment?" Elena nodded; she didn't really care about Stefan right now. He seemed like a really lovely person, but Damon had this hold on her and she did not know why.

Stefan dragged Damon into the room a few doors down, hoping Elena wouldn't be able to hear them. He saw Damon wink at her as they left, he honestly did not know how to control his big brother. "Damon this is serious. This is really bad." "Why? She's a vampire now so what, so are we." "Yes but she's just a girl that doesn't need to be involved in all of this. We've been here five minutes and there's already a girl in transition, and she just happens to look exactly like Katherine?" "Ok Stefan, I do not know why she looks like Katherine, just that she does. All I did was heal her, it's not my fault she got hit by a car now is it?" "Yes but she had your blood in her system, who knows what could happen." "She'll be a vampire or she'll die, but it's her choice not ours." Damon walked out; he didn't want to have to listen to his brother ramble on about how we can't just go around making vampires. Damon didn't want this, but he didn't want to just let her die. It should be her choice, and even if it wasn't, she should at least know why she had to live like this. When Damon got back to where they had left Elena she wasn't there. He went upstairs hoping that she hadn't left just gone exploring around their house. He found her in his bedroom just sitting on the edge of his bed. She looked really upset and he didn't know why as he thought she was clueless to what was going on. Then he saw it, he saw the blood bag next to her on the bed, completely drained. Elena was shaking. "Damon what did I do?" Damon didn't know how to respond. He wasn't very good when it came to these situations. He just thought maybe he could say something that would cheer her up and then Stefan could deal with her. She was likely to fall in love with him anyway, it was always Stefan. "You know what Elena, I would very much like it if you just went to talk to Stefan about this." He expected her to say something. To say why he couldn't just tell her, she had only met Stefan five minutes ago. But she just left; she looked even more upset when she did though. Like she was heartbroken he had sent her away, even thought she could've stayed by her own free will. Becoming a vampire doesn't affect that.

When Elena got downstairs Stefan was just sitting on the couch that she had been sleeping on not very long ago. He smiled at her, as if to pity her but also comfort her. She didn't like it, she wanted to be upstairs with Damon still, and she wanted Damon to be giving her comforting smiles. She really wanted to, but she couldn't. As soon as Damon said he wanted her to come downstairs to talk to Stefan about it she felt like she had to, like it was life or death; it didn't make any sense. Stefan looked up at her and realised that she was upset, and he could smell the blood on her breath. "Elena, are you ok?" No, she really wasn't ok. She was devastated. She had just drank human blood and this morning she was worried about starting her junior year of high school, how does everything change so much in such a short space of time. "Yeah, I guess not." Stefan didn't know what to say. That was not the reaction he was expecting, he expected her to be angry or distraught or something, but she just kept looking up like she felt she had somewhere she needed to be. "Elena, why don't you go home and get some rest?" "Because I just drank human blood and that is not exactly a normal occurrence for me and I have a human brother and human aunt who are very much alive and are very important to me." "No human parents?" Stefan blurted out before he knew what he was saying; he saw Elena's eyes drop and tears well up. "Erm no, they died, four months ago." "I'm sorry." "Ok." "Elena, go home. Damon and I will come with you if you want, so that you won't hurt them or anyone else." Stefan noticed Elena's eyes light up when he mentioned Damon. Elena nodded "Only if you both come." If she was honest she didn't want Stefan there, but she felt like he had to be to control her, not just from hurting her family.

When Damon came downstairs he knew that Stefan knew that he had been listening to their entire conversation. He felt like Elena was important to them both and they both wanted to protect her. At first it was because she looks like Katherine and they were both very much in love with Katherine. But now it was Elena. Elena was this sweet vulnerable girl that needed protecting from the big bad monsters under the bed he thought ironically. Damon walked to Elena's side "Come on, let's get you home." "Damon wait; before we go I have to ask Elena something." Damon and Stefan exchanged glances; Stefan was never normally this hesitant. "Elena, when you came downstairs to talk to me, you didn't seem to be very pleased with it. In fact, it looked like you wanted nothing more than to be upstairs talking to my dear big brother here." Elena was confused, that was exactly how she had felt. She didn't not like Stefan, he had comforted here. But she hadn't wanted to be there, but she couldn't bring herself to go back upstairs. "I don't know. I did want to be upstairs talking to Damon. But he said he wanted me to come and talk to you so I did, and I really did try to stay there but I had this overwhelming feeling that I needed to be downstairs because it would please him." Damon was confused at first, then he realised. This had happened once before. A girl, Charlotte, whom he had turned had done everything in her power to please him, she was devoted to him and his every need. It wasn't easy and it wasn't fun. Stefan still looked confused, he hadn't caught on. This was the worst thing that could've happened. "Stefan, I think she's sired to me." "She can't be." "Well that's the only logical explanation right now isn't it? This can't be happening, not again."


	3. Chapter 3

Damon knew he had feelings for Elena. He didn't think he could, because of how much he hated Katherine for what she did to him; for always choosing Stefan over him. In fact, when he first saw Elena his immediate reaction was pure hatred and anger, but as soon as he spoke to her he realised that they weren't the same person at all. They only looked the same, and had the same ability to make him weak at the knees. They both had a spark he could see in her eyes that told him that she could convince him to do anything if she tried, probably if she didn't. They were different in so many more ways; Elena was so much more beautiful in so many ways. They had the same stunning eyes, but Elena looked at you with love and it was heartfelt, whereas with Katherine, it was always with malice. They had the same glistening smile, except Elena's was genuine and caring, whereas Katherine's was teasing and manipulative. They both had extremely attractive figures but Elena held herself with so much grace and still looked beautiful doing it. Katherine always seemed to have to be seductive or sexy; she never just let herself be beautiful. But she was beautiful, and even though Damon would never admit it to anyone, he was genuinely hurt when she picked Stefan, because in 1864 Damon was the good guy. Damon was the sincere one, and one who laughed at the bad jokes. He was also scared that the same thing would happen with Elena; that she would fall in love with Stefan and leave him alone again. He wouldn't let the happen. Now that they knew about the sire bond Damon was pretty sure Stefan wouldn't let Elena near him in case he did something irrational, which he probably would but he wasn't going to hurt her; he couldn't. But he was still unsure, not of himself but of Elena. Whether she would fall for Stefan or not; most girls do. Elena was different; she looked at him not Stefan. She wanted to be around him not Stefan; the only problem was Damon didn't know whether that was how she felt or the sire bond. Stefan being Stefan felt that they had to be precautious with Elena and make sure they did whatever they could to keep her family safe. Elena agreed, her brother was the most important thing in the world to her, she did not know what she would do if she were to ever lose him. Damon knew Stefan didn't trust him around Elena already because of the sire bond, he was afraid that he would use it against her to get what he wants; but Damon would never do that, not to Elena.

They were taking Elena home, home to her brother and to her aunt who loved her very much; and she loved in return. They weren't two random people she had just met. Damon knew she would be happier around her family but he couldn't help but wish that she would stay at the Salvatore house with them; she would be so much safer there. That was true whether Damon wanted her to be there or not. Stefan and Damon had so much more strength to protect her, and to help her come to terms with who she now was. She was a vampire now, and she would need blood to survive, and she would need their help to be the person she needed to be. Even only knowing her for a day, Damon knew she would be the person who didn't want to hurt anyone; she would be more like Stefan than himself, because she was good. They arrived at Elena's house and as Elena went to open the door Stefan realised they would have a slight problem. "Erm, Elena that's not going to work." "And why is that?" Elena replied, puzzled. Damon stepped forward "because as a vampire you have to be invited in even if you have lived here your entire life as a human." Elena thought about it for a moment and then realised she couldn't exactly ask her brother or her aunt to invite her in to her own home, it wouldn't make any sense. She also most definitely did not want to compel them, they didn't need that. "Why don't I just stay with you two?" Stefan and Damon exchanged a look, it would make sense. Elena would be safer, so would her family, and she wouldn't need to worry about anyone catching her out she would just go to school as normal, from a different home. Damon expected Stefan to disagree and say she needed to be with her family; but he didn't. "That's not such a bad idea." Damon looked at him, surprised but happy; this was what he had wanted. Elena would be by his side and he would be able to keep her safe even if she did not necessarily want it.

The next morning Elena woke up in a bed she did not recognize. She was not even under the duvet, just lying on the bed looking out, she turned over to face the middle of the bed like she does every morning; it comforted her. Today however, when she rolled over she found something she did not expect; or someone. She looked into his blue eyes and smiled to herself, he was staring at her and she knew that they were both repressing feelings. She knew she wasn't the only one feeling things between the two of them, hell she bet even Stefan could sense someone. Suddenly, she realised where she was. As entrancing as Damon's eyes were, she was in his bed after having known him for a day. Yes he may have turned her, but she was still a stranger to him in many ways. But she couldn't bear to leave. Damon knew that this wasn't right. They weren't doing anything obviously, but he knew that he wanted to, and he couldn't. Stefan wouldn't allow it because of the sire bond, because Elena wouldn't have all her free will around him. He didn't know why he was thinking about his baby brother and how he would feel about this but he knew that this time he was right, he just hoped they could find out more about the sire bond and then maybe it wouldn't be necessary for Damon to stay away from Elena. Damon stood up and started to walk towards the door. "Where are you going Damon?" he heard Elena mutter sleepily, "To talk to my little brother, go back to sleep." Damon wanted nothing more than to go back to that bed with her and curl up, but he wouldn't. He needed to at least to talk to Stefan about what they were going to do.

He found Stefan in the library, as usual. He was writing in his stupid journal, they had perfect memories so why did he had to record everything that ever happened to him Damon would never know. "Stefan, we need to find out more about this sire bond, now I know what happened with Charlotte was extreme but we don't know it will be the same with Elena, in fact she seems perfectly fine so I think if we got some information we could-" "Damon, I know plenty about the sire bond already." "You do? How?" "Well when that Charlotte girl went and got herself sired to you I went to find out as much as I could, as you being you would not." Damon was shocked, he couldn't tell whether Stefan did this for him or for himself but at that time Stefan wasn't the Stefan he is now so he did not know why he did this. "Ok then Stef, what you got?" Stefan sighed and handed Damon one of his journals. A fair few of those pages were filled with information about the sire bond. "Basically, you're only sired to someone when you have feelings for them as a human, and the sire bond does not affect how you feel, only how you act. So if Elena wants to go out with you or sleep in your bed or whatever and you haven't told her to, it's because she truly wants to." Damon couldn't help but smile, Elena may actually have feelings for him. Real feelings; not sire bond feelings. But the most important part of what Stefan just said was the human feelings before being turned; Damon must have made quite the impression in the minute before he hurt her, before he changed her life forever. Damon looked up at Stefan, "So what does this mean?" "It means Damon, you can go back upstairs and tell Elena that you like her, you can tell her that you're sorry and that you're very happy she chose to sleep in your bed and not mine." Damon could tell by Stefan's tone that he was not very happy with this, he realised that Stefan probably felt the exact same way that he did about Elena. She was a beautiful girl with a heart of gold, who would not be attracted to her. Stefan saw the look on Damon's face, saw that he was being wary to save his brothers feelings. "It's ok Damon, you go. I may like her just as much as you, but there's no way she likes me more than you, just go." Damon smiled at his brother then raced up the stairs. When he got to his bedroom he found Elena asleep on the bed, just like he had said. It was going to be difficult to try and have a relationship with a girl who did everything he asked. He didn't want to force her hand or make her do anything she did not want to do, but having a short sleep whilst he and his brother talked about her could not do her any harm. He wanted to just watch her sleep because she looked so beautiful, but he also wanted to tell her how he wanted her to stay with him in his bed forever. "Elena, Elena? Wake up." Elena was groggy but she was awake. She saw that it was Damon leaning over her and automatically assumed something was wrong as he had made it clear that she shouldn't be there. He smiled at her and looked into her big brown eyes "I have some good news." Well at least he hoped it was good news, it was for him anyway. "This sire bond does not affect your feelings, so any feelings you have for me, if you do have any feelings for me are completely you. You could hate me with all your might and still do what I wanted, or you could be madly in love with me, you are still you Elena." Elena looked at him, taking in what he had just said. She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled, "That's the best news I've heard in a long time!" She watched him smile before she kissed him. She kissed him with more passion than she thought she had in her, because she was allowed to love Damon, and finally things felt right.


	4. Chapter 4

Damon wasn't expecting that. He knew he had feelings for Elena and he had some inkling that she might have some in return, but he hadn't expected her to kiss him so suddenly and like her life depended on it. Damon broke off from the kiss and looked into her eyes.

"What's wrong? Should I not have done that?"

"No Elena, trust me that is not a problem, I was just wondering well... why?" Elena wanted to hit him, what the hell did he mean why? She was perfectly happy kissing him, why did she have to explain herself? She thought he liked her enough that it wouldn't matter. But she would explain, to make him happy, and to get it out of her system at last.

"Damon, I kissed you because you spoke to me that day in the cemetery. It may have been because I reminded you of someone else but you still did. I kissed you because ever since that moment whenever I'm around you every one of my senses is tingling because you make me feel alive. I kissed you because I finally feel free from all of the restrictions put on me because of the fact that I lost my parents or whatever. I kissed you because I wanted to, and that should be reason enough." Damon grinned, that was exactly what he needed to hear. That this wasn't just because she needed to feel something, it was because she genuinely saw the good in him, or the good that he had in him. She wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted to be with her and there was no problem with that, at least Damon didn't think there was.

"Well if that's the case." Damon pushed her against the wall, feeling the passion rush through him. He kissed her with his hands wrapped around her waist and hers around his neck, her fingers running through his hair. Elena was so caught up in the moment, she jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist, Damon propping her up against the wall. Elena kissed him back furiously, hoping with all her might that this wouldn't just be a one time moment of passion. She ripped open his shirt, running her fingers down his chest. Damon was ready to do that same to her when Stefan appeared at the doorway.

"Erm... Sorry. I don't mean to interrupt but Elena, your phone is ringing and it's Jeremy and you can't lie to him forever." Elena slid down and stood next to Damon sheepishly. She saw pain in Stefan's eyes and did not know why; she just assumed it was an old brotherly rivalry.

"Ok, I'll be right down, can you just tell him to meet me at the grill to talk?" Stefan nodded and backed out of the room. Damon blew out the breath he had been holding.

"Well that was awkward." Elena hit him playfully on the arm and giggled, but she agreed. She had no idea why it was that Stefan had seemed so upset by the scene he had come across, she assumed Damon had been with many girls, considering he had been around since 1864. Damon however knew, he knew that Stefan liked Elena. He was planning to keep himself to himself and not put another doppelganger between himself and his brother but he couldn't keep himself away from Elena no matter how hard he tried.

When Elena got to the grill she saw her brother, Jeremy, sitting at their usual table. She couldn't help but smile to herself and feel a warmth rush over her. She had missed her little brother so much even though it had only been a couple of days. Jeremy was the only proper family she had left. Sure there was Aunt Jenna but she just wasn't the same, Elena loved her so much but she wasn't someone that had been there as long as she could remember. Jeremy was her baby brother and that topped everyone else. There was no doubt about it in Elena's mind; she would do anything for her Jeremy. Jeremy noticed her and waved, Elena grinned and rushed over to their table and hugged him hard. Jeremy staggered back as Elena currently did not know her own strength.

"What was that for? I saw you yesterday morning Elena." She had forgotten that it had barely been any time since she was turned, even though it felt like she had been with Stefan and Damon for so long already.

"I know, but can't I miss my brother?" Jeremy grinned at her.

"Why were you not at home last night?" This was it. This was why Elena had needed to meet with Jeremy; to tell him that she wouldn't be living with them. Normally a teenage boy would not care about the lack of his sister in their house but they had only lost their parents four months ago and Elena did not know if Jeremy would be able to take care of himself without her. He was getting into some bad stuff lately and Elena was the only one who had any control over him.

"Look Jer, I'm going to be moving out. I know that sounds silly when we're still in high school and we have so much space between the three of us but I-I just can't stay in that house anymore Jer, I can't." Jeremy nodded as if he understood. He had no idea that everything Elena had said to him was a lie, in fact staying at her house made her feel close to her parents because she had grown up there and they had taken care of her there. She wasn't however going to tell this to Damon or Stefan.

"It's ok Elena. Are you going to leave your stuff or pick it up?" Elena was surprised at how calm Jeremy was being about this but she wasn't going to turn a good thing down.

"Erm I think I'll come by to pick it up in a bit. I just need to sort something first ok? I'll text you my new address when I can." Elena couldn't tell Jeremy that the reason she hadn't told him she was staying with the Salvatore's was because she was afraid that she could rip his throat out. Elena knew she would never want to hurt her brother, but she also knew that newer vampires had trouble controlling their urges.

"Elena I have to go, I have to meet someone. I'll see you later when you come for your stuff right?"

"Of course you will." Jeremy rushed out the grill, Elena wondered who he could be meeting this late then realised she didn't have any right to be the protective big sister anymore because she was a danger to him and everyone else in this town. She saw Damon and Stefan waiting outside the grill and thought it would be best if she went to join them. When she got outside they both looked up at her and smiled and she noticed that they had the exact same look in their eyes when looking at her. She realised that even if she chose Damon it wouldn't stop Stefan liking her and he would still be around. Elena wasn't against the idea of him being around just the idea of him wanting her when she wanted his brother.

"Shall we get going then? I think I'll pick up my stuff during the day tomorrow. Why do we keep going out in the dark anyway?"

"Because all those stupid legends are true Elena, this isn't twilight. We burn in the sun!"

"Then how have you managed to survive? I couldn't stand being inside forever." Damon smirked.

"We have these." He held up his hand to show her a ring. Elena had admired it from a distance earlier in the day and now she knew what it was for she liked it even more.

"Where can I get one?" Stefan looked at Damon before replying.

"Well we need a witch. The rings have powers that mean we don't burnt by the sun, you need a witch, it doesn't just happen." Elena sighed. Where were they supposed to find a witch. And if they didn't how was she supposed to spend the rest of her life inside. Or only coming out at night, Elena was no party animal but she was a social person. She had friends and family who would notice if she just dropped off the face of the planet. Elena's phone rang and instead of complaining more about her lack of daylight rings she answered it because it was Bonnie, and Bonnie could always cheer her up.

"Hey Bon."

"Hey Elena. Fancy coming over for a bit? I know it's late but I really need to tell you something, I'm kind of freaked."

"Of course, give me a few minutes, see you!" Elena hung up the phone and looked at the Salvatore brothers. She knew they had heard the entire conversation.

"Can I go to Bonnie's?"

"Why are you asking us? Of course stupid." Damon laughed, shaking his head. Elena smirked at him then left for Bonnie's. She didn't know how Damon had such an effect on her.

When Elena got to Bonnie's she opened the door and just walked away like she always did. Elena remembered that she had to be invited in and hoped to god that Bonnie would do so.

"You can come in Elena. What's got into you?" Bonnie looked confused but Elena was just happy she was allowed in her best friend's house.

"I have some freaky crap to show you Elena." Bonnie pulled her upstairs into her bedroom and they both sat on the bed cross legged facing each other like they had done since they were kids.

"Ok so, this is going to sound crazy but you just need to not say anything until I've finished ok?" Elena nodded and hoped that it wasn't something too bad.

"Don't look so worried sweetie, nothing bad I promise. So my Grams was talking to me about our family history and my heritage and was rambling on as she usually does. I wasn't really listening to be honest just kind of picking up key words. I started focusing on her again and realised that she was talking about witches! Like Salem witches. I was so confused, I told her that I thought we were talking about our family and she said we were. She got all weird and serious and told me that the Salem witches were our ancestors and that I-I was a witch. At first I thought it was crazy but then she showed me all this stuff and how to do a spell and everything. She was telling the truth Elena, I'm a witch." Elena just sat there in silence, how could this be happening? Just ten minutes before she had been talking with Damon and Stefan about how they needed a witch for her ring. Her best friend was a witch and that was crazy, but not any more crazy than the fact that she was a vampire. She wanted to tell Bonnie who she now was but was scared of what Damon and Stefan would think of her sharing secrets. Elena figured that it was now her secret too so she could tell whoever she liked, and she definitely knew that her best friend was trustworthy.

"Bon that's mental! I have to tell you something too and you have to swear you won't tell a soul."

"Elena, I just told you I'm a witch, do you really think I'm going to spill your deepest darkest secrets to the world?" Elena laughed, she knew she could trust Bonnie with anything.

"Ok here goes... I'm a vampire." Bonnie genuinely laughed out loud. She knew Elena must just be making fun of her because of the witch thing.

"Come on Elena be serious, we both know vampires don't exist."

"Says the witch." The girls looked at each other for a moment and Bonnie realised that Elena was being brutally honest.

"How can you be a vampire?"

"It's a long story Bon, but I'll tell you everything if you help me with something. You being a witch is the best thing to happen to me in a long time."

"Ok... what do you need?" Elena smiled, Bonnie was always the one person she could count on with absolutely anything. Caroline was amazing and always cheered her up but she had such a big mouth. Tyler was a jerk to be honest, it didn't change the fact that she had known him forever. And she had always trusted Matt with absolutely anything but he was barely looking at her right now. Bonnie was her rock.

"I need you to make me a ring. Well you don't have to make the ring, you just have to enchant it or whatever it is you do. I know it sounds crazy and selfish but if I don't have a ring that allows me to go out in the sun I'll barely see any of you guys again."

"Elena, I said I would do it, stop panicking. I might have to ask Grams for some help though."

"That is completely a hundred percent amazing, can you call me when it's done?"

"Yeah sure." Elena grinned and hugged her best friend.

"You're amazing Bon."

"You're pretty damn good yourself sweetie." They both laughed, they could always cheer each other up no matter what the situation. Bonnie was the only person Elena could stand to be around when her parents died.

"Oh, there's also something else. Kind of vampire related kind of normal girl talk." Bonnie perked up, she was always one for girl talk.

"There's this guy, he's amazing. When he smiles I melt inside, and his eyes are so beautiful I feel like he can see all of me. He makes me feel alive and free and like me. I don't know what to do, we have feelings for each other and everything seems perfect but not at the same time."

"Elena I don't hear a problem there." Bonnie smirked but Elena knew exactly what the problem was; Stefan. She couldn't get the way he looked at her out of his brain, she knew that she didn't want to be with him because of how strongly she felt for Damon, but she didn't want to hurt anyone either. She'd have to talk to them both about it, and that would be one awkward conversation.


	5. Chapter 5

Elena was sitting in the Salvatore boarding room waiting for the phone call from Bonnie to tell her it was time. It wouldn't really matter how long it took for Elena to get the ring but she really wanted to spend time outside and with her friends, just because she was a vampire now doesn't mean she couldn't be herself.

"A watched phone never rings."

Elena turned around to see Damon standing arms folded in the door way. She smiled and got up.

"And how would you know?"

"Trust me Elena. I've been around a long time." Elena was standing directly in front of him now; she could reach up and kiss him if she wanted to. Damon could see that she wanted to; it was written all over her face.

"We can't Elena."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because as much of a dick Stefan is, he is still my little brother. And he is doing everything in his power to help you right now; he is over at the Bennett house trying to help your witchy friends."

Elena was shocked to hear this. "How come he's over there and you're still here? Do you not trust me in your house, or does he just care more?" Elena put on a jokey tone in her voice but she was being deadly serious, she was having all these feelings for Damon and Stefan was out doing all these things for her.

"Are you serious? It was my idea, I went over and Stefan was going to stay here. But creepy grandmother witch lady wouldn't let me in her house; I guess she doesn't trust me."

"But she trusts Stefan?"

"He's always been the better brother." Elena couldn't help but hear the bitterness in his words, it was as if he was always chosen over Damon, but Elena knew who she wanted and she needed Damon to know it.

"Damon, will you dance with me?"

Damon looked baffled at the suggestion Elena had just made, especially considering there wasn't even any music in the background to tempt the idea.

"Elena, there's no music."

"Why do we need music?"

Damon tried to resist because he knew he should do right by his brother, he knew that they should talk about this before he got into anything with Elena, but they had already made out against his bedroom wall, and he was pretty sure if Stefan hadn't of walked in it would've gone further. It seemed that Elena had already made her choice; they just needed to accept it. Damon looked straight into her eyes as we slowly made his way towards her. He put one of his hands around a waist and put the other in hers as she leant herself against his chest. He took in a slow breath as he could feel her heart beating against his and it only made him want her me. He pulled back a little bit so that she would look up at him.

"What? Damon what's wrong?"

"I can't Elena. Believe me I want to, but I cannot be this close to you and not feel guilty."

"Why do you feel guilty?"

"Because of Stefan, because he cares about you too and it's not fair for me to just take you."

"Ok to start with, you did not take me. I chose to kiss you in your bedroom and I asked you to dance. I wanted to spend time with you because I like you. I mean of course I like Stefan too he's a great guy and I'm sure we'll all be the best of friends but I don't want to be with Stefan. I want to be with you."

"Ok... But I still feel awful. He likes you too!"

"Yes and I'm sorry I don't feel about him that way and I will explain it all to him when he gets back but please right now can you just dance with me."

Damon opened his mouth to protest but changed his mind. He did feel guilty about Stefan but he also really wanted to dance with Elena. She was a stunningly beautiful girl who looked like the only other person he had ever loved. He fell in love with Katherine for her looks, and he first spoke to Elena for the same reason but it wasn't the same. He was falling in love with Elena for everything that made her different to her doppelganger. Elena was compassionate, kind and selfless. She stood up for herself just like Katherine did, but in a softer way. In a way that made you want to take her side. That's why he was still dancing with her right now rather than forcing her to wait to talk to Stefan, it's not like they were doing anything bad.

"Ok, We'll talk when he gets home."

Stefan arrived home to find Damon and Elena on the couch, he was sitting there drinking bourbon and she had her head on his chest, staring up at the ceiling as if she was in deep thought. He cleared his throat to announce that he was home and watched them both spin their heads round hoping for good news.

Elena jumped up and ran over to him. "Do you have it?"

Stefan sighed and reached into his pocket, he was hoping she was just happy to see him, but she only wanted the ring. Maybe she wasn't the amazing person he thought she was when they first met. Maybe she was just as selfish and devious as Katherine was. "Yes, I have the ring. But it's already going dark so you won't need it until the morning anyway."

"But that doesn't mean I can't have it." Elena demanded that he give it to her, she had her hand outstretched for at least a minute until he gave in and handed it over. "Thank you Stefan."

"You're welcome Elena." He turned to leave the room, thinking that Damon and Elena would probably want some privacy, especially considering what he walked in on yesterday in his bedroom. However, before he could take even a few steps he heard Elena call out for him.

"Stefan, wait. Can I talk to you for a minute, alone?" Stefan saw Elena slide her eyes to the side to glance at Damon when she said alone, and for a second he had hope. He had hope that Elena did like him in the way he liked her and was only scared to say it in front of Damon because she didn't want to hurt his feelings or she felt guilty.

"It's about Damon." Well that was his hope out the window, this was going to be some pathetic, i'm sorry that it's him not you speech. He wasn't going to stand here and listen to it.

"Look Elena, I get it. I'm not the one you want, you and Damon can have your fun." He turned and left the room to go upstairs to his bedroom. Elena watched him walked away and was shocked. She had never expected Stefan to be the bitter type, much less rude about it. She thought he would care about his brothers happiness, or at least let her explain. Elena decided to follow after him; she wasn't going to let him get away with this.

"Stefan! I know this may not be something you want to hear but you do not know what I am going to say and you need to let me explain myself."

"No Elena, I get it. You chose Damon, you want Damon. You don't want me. That's completely fair, I mean you met him first and all."

"It's not because I met him first."

"Oh really? Then maybe you'll do what our dear friend Katherine did and fool around with the pair of us because she supposedly had chosen me before going after Damon, making us both fall in love with an extraordinarily beautiful woman and then breaking the hearts of us both. I know how girls work, I know the tricks."

"Stefan what is wrong with you? There are no tricks, and I am most definitely not going to have my fun with Damon and then move on to the other brother. I am not that person, and just because you had one bad experience with one girl doesn't mean all are like her."

"You just happen to look exactly the same."

"Apparently, I can't explain that. You're the one that's been around for almost one hundred and fifty years. This has hurt you, I get that. But I never expected you to react like this. You barely know me, there is no way you can care about me this much for you to be so rude!"

"What, and Damon has the ability to care for you and I don't?"

"I did not say that, and I have spent more time with him than I have with you, so it does actually make sense. I want Damon not you, get over it." Elena stormed out and Stefan watched her walked away. He wanted to shout back at her that he could love her just as much as Damon could but he knew that wouldn't go down very well. He also knew that it wouldn't matter to her. Elena didn't love Damon because he had told her that he loved her, Elena loved Damon because she loved Damon. It wasn't complicated, it was perfectly simple. For the first time in a long time Stefan was not being seen as the better brother, and it made perfect sense. Damon wasn't a bad guy, in fact Stefan had probably hurt a lot more people in much worse ways, Damon just wasn't hiding behind the pain of it all, because he had only done what was necessary to survive, Stefan had hurt people. It was something he would always have to live with, no matter how hard it was for him.

Elena was pacing around the hallway ready to storm out of the house; but she couldn't. She couldn't leave without making things right with Stefan, and most importantly, she couldn't leave without saying good bye to Damon first.

"Elena, what happened?"

"It was awful, he was awful. He was rude and bitter and he expected me to be some big bitch who wanted both of you and couldn't choose or something stupid like that, I would never do that to you Damon, never." Elena hadn't realised she was crying until that moment, she wiped the tears off her cheeks and looked up at Damon.

"How do I make things better?"

"You don't. Stefan will realise that he was being a dick, he knows when he's made a mistake. Just breathe through it, ok?" Elena nodded and pulled Damon close to her, wrapping her arms around his waist and putting her head against his chest, hearing his heart beat calmed her down. It was like his presence had an effect on her, he made her feel safe. Damon kissed the top of her head and realised that he had never done something like this before, he had never been the comforter, and it was something he definitely wanted to do again, he wanted to be the good guy. He smiled to himself and then took Elena's face into his hands, grazing his thumb along her jaw line.

"Thank you Elena." He didn't know why he was doing it, after promising himself to keep his distance until things with Stefan were clear, but he couldn't not. He leant in and kissed her, slow at first; soft. The passion slowly built up between the two of them and soon Elena was pulling at his shirt, pulling him closer to her, forcing his lips down onto hers. Damon pulled away, expecting her to protest but she didn't. Instead she just smiled at him.

"You're welcome Damon."

_**I know it wasn't exactly the best chapter in the world, in fact it was pretty crap but any reviews would be greatly appreciated. I really need to improve, this fic is kind of sucking. **_


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